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In the name of All°h, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Topic of Discussion: The Characteristics of a Righteous

Servant of All°h : Øad¢th ##88 [ Discussion #9
#9 ]
Lectures on Akhl°q given by His Eminence
Ayatull°h al-`U®m° al-Ø°jj ash-Shaykh N°•ir Mak°rim ash-Sh¢r°z¢ (may All°h protect him)
Translated by Saleem Bhimji – www.al-mubin.org – al-mubin@al-mubin.org

Topic: The Characteristics of A

Righteous Servant of Allah
Text of the Øad¢th:

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Øad¢th: It has been narrated from Ibn `Umar that he said, “The Messenger of All°h (blessings of
Translation of Øad¢th:
All°h be upon him and his family) once gave us such a speech that made our eyes flow with tears and made our
hearts tremble and some of that which we wrote down (of his speech was that): ‘O’ Mankind! Surely the greatest
servant (of All°h) is the one who shows humility even though he may be of high rank or status and who
renounces the world even though he has a desire for it (its pleasures) and who is equitable and just even though
he has the strength (to oppress others) and who shows forbearance even though has the ability (to get his rights by
force)...”1

Commentary on the Øad¢th:

The important issue (which we wish to elucidate upon) that has been mentioned in this section of the Øad¢th
is that sometimes a person refrains from committing a sin due to not having the ability to commit that sin.
Sometimes it is due to not having an attraction to commit that sin - for example, the person who does not
like the taste of alcohol (and thus does not drink) or he likes the taste of it however he does not have the
ability (to drink alcohol) or the introductory steps in order to do this sin are not present (for example he
does not have money to purchase the alcohol) or he does not drink alcohol due to the negative effects that it
has on him.

Such a form of refraining from committing a sin for a person who does not have the ability to commit the sin
is not important – rather, what is important is when a person has the ability but he still refrains from
committing a sin. Thus, according to the words of the Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his
family) the greatest person is the one who even though has status, rank and position in the community,

1 Bi¶°r al-Anw°r, Volume 74, Page 179

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however he is still humble and modest with others.2

In relation to refraining from sins, we see that people are of various types. There is one group of people
who do not commit certain sins since deep down in their heart, those are detested acts. Thus, every person
must look deep within himself and see what prohibited things he has a desire to perform so that he can
refrain from those things. However this point should also be kept in mind that it is difficult for a person to
recognize these things by himself as sometimes there are characteristics within a person that he would not
realize he has and maybe after sixty years of his life pass by, then he would then realize he has these defects.
Why is this so? Because a person never looks at his own self trying to pick out his own faults and defects.

If a person would like to advance in the spiritual areas of his life and to reach to the higher levels of
spirituality, then he must look at his own self with a very critical eye so that he is able to pick out his weak
points. It is for this reason that it has been said that when one wants to recognize ones’ own weak points
and defects then he should rely on his enemies or his own friends who would sincerely criticize him (not
those who would hide his defects). However, better than all of this is when a person learns to criticize
himself. If a person knows what ¶ar°m acts he loves to perform and he knows where his defects and slips
are and through what channels Sha¢t°n tries to get to him and make use of him, then he will never be held
captive by his lower desires and the Sha¢ß°n.

It is for this reason that the Prophet (blessings of All°h be upon him and his family) has said, “The best of
people is that one who even though has the liking (to commit a sin) and even though he has the power and
ability (to oppress others) is just, and even though he has greatness, he is still humble.”

This advice is addressed to all people, especially the Scholars (`Ulam°) - why? Because the Scholars are the
leaders of the people and before going to teach others, the leaders must first train themselves.

The more a person’s status (within the society) increases, the more his (small) errors and slips become
greater (in the eyes of the people). Similarly, when his duties increase and become more sensitive and
critical (to perform in the proper way), there is a greater danger that they may not be fulfilled how they
should be.

2 The Noble Qur˜°n considers humility and modesty and refraining from any form of pride and arrogance as
being one of the characteristics of a true believer (Mo˜min). This is so because pride and arrogance are the
first steps on the ladder of disbelief (Kufr) and when a person exercises humility and modesty in the face of
truth, he has actually traversed the first steps towards true faith (´m°n). Those who tread the path of pride
and self-conceit and who not only do not submit and prostrate to All°h (Glory and Greatness be to Him) or
busy themselves in His praise and glorification will eventually reach to a stage in their life that where they
will not accept the truth that comes to them from the (righteous) servants of All°h and thus, the biggest idol
(of worship) turns out to be their own souls. (Tafsir-e-Namuna, Volume 17, Page 146)

3 The great scholar, Shaikh Bah°˜¢ has narrated the following incident, “There was a man named Tawbah
who was continuously busy in taking account of his soul and the acts that he used to perform. When he
reached to the age of sixty, he sat down to review his life and the acts that he had done and realized that
21,500 days of his life had gone by. At this point, he said to himself, “Woe on me! If each day of my life I
had not committed more than one sin, then in the minimum, I would have committed at least 21,000 sins!
Do I wish to wish to meet All°h while I have 21,000 sins on my record?” At this point, he let out a loud
shout and fell to the ground and passed away on the spot. (Tafsir-e-Namuna, Volume 24, Page 465)

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 P"%Q P O 0 K N .8
“The sincere people (Al-Mukhli•£n) are in the greatest danger.”

While a person is young, he may commit sins and then say, “When I get older I will repent for this sin.”
This act of delaying and postponing one’s asking for forgiveness is an act of trickery and deceit on the part
of Sha¢ß°n and an act of ones’ own soul.

There is also the person who makes a promise to himself that when the Month of Rama§h°n comes along,
then he will ask for forgiveness. However, if a person wishes to be a guest and take part in a banquet, he
must first purify himself and put on clean clothing and then go forth to be the guest of another person not
that he takes part in the banquet while wearing dirty, filthy clothes!3

…and all praise belongs to All°h, Lord of the Worlds, only the mistakes are mine. (Tr.)